COVID Cases Make Middletown South, Thompson All Virtual

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — Any reopening of Middletown schools continues to be a slow and thorny process, as now both Thompson Middle School and Middletown High School South will be all virtual for the next two weeks, until Feb. 4.

This is because people who are now COVID-positive were inside both school buildings in the past 14 days; the district learned of the positive test results this weekend. As per policy, the district would not reveal if these are cases in students or teachers.

The news was announced Sunday by Middletown school superintendent Mary Ellen Walker. The PSATs and all winter sports at High School South have also been temporarily paused.

The school district is trying to reach everyone who may have been exposed to a positive case, and the district is encouraging Middletown parents to notify the school nurse immediately if their child tests positive for COVID-19.

Grades seven and eight at Thompson Middle School will now be all virtual until Feb. 4. Sixth grade at Thompson will remain on their hybrid schedule, as there are no cases of COVID in sixth grade and "no in-school transmission is suspected at that grade level," said the superintendent.

Middletown South is all virtual until Feb. 3. The announcement also means PSATs will be delayed for tenth graders at High School South. They were scheduled to take the PSATs in school this Tuesday, January 26.

"Dr. Trudell, assistant principal of guidance, will be working to reschedule these tests with the College Board," wrote Walker. "Mr. Carroll, athletic director, is working to reschedule current winter sports competitions that were scheduled for this temporary period."